The 27-year-old, who has scored 23 goals in 26 appearances in all competitions for the Bundesliga leaders this season, becomes the first footballer in 33 years to win the award, which has been running since 1926 and is voted for by readers of Polish sports magazine Przegląd Sportowy.

Modest Lewy

"This honour really means a lot to me. I’m very happy," Lewandowski told fcbayern.de at the club’s winter training camp in Qatar. "I’m a team player and this honour implies that the whole team - Bayern as well as the Polish national team - must have played very well."

Lewandowski was part of the Poland squad that finished second behind Germany in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying, scoring 13 goals in ten matches to help Adam Nawalka’s side secure a place at the finals in France this summer.